When it comes to Jessica Rabbit pins, the number is surprisingly large for a character who was not used in any merchandising for many years. With that number now reaching over 600 as of 2013 - it's downright impossible to collect every single Jessica pin. Especially with Disney's use of Mystery Sets and the very low edition sizes from the Disney Actions days - it's pretty definite that no one out there can possibly have the entire collection. Well, one woman actually HAS accomplished this! Every Jessica Rabbit pin to date. Every park exclusive. Every LE 50. Naturally, I had some questions for her about her collections, which pins are her favorites and why she thought the hobby of pin collecting (and Jessica Rabbit pin collecting in general) became so popular.ImNotBad.com:
How long have you been a pin collector?
Nicole:
Well, I've been a casual pin collector since before official pin trading started in 2000. I remember my first pin being some little Tinker Bell pin they sold at the Disney Store, sometime in the 1990s. I continued to purchase a pin here or there while at the Parks until 2005, when I found out about Pin Trading Nights at WDW, as well as the online pins at what was, at the time, Disneyshopping.com, and that's when things got serious!
INB:
When / why did you start collecting Jessica Rabbit pins?
Nicole:
I've always collected characters I love- some people trade just for the activity of trading, but I've always been more character focused. Jessica Rabbit is one of my favorite Disney characters, so it was natural for me to pick up pins for her when I saw them. There wasn't much to find, though, until I learned about Disneyshopping.com. Pinpics also introduced me to all the retired pins I had missed, mostly the Disney Auctions era and the DLR pins that I never knew existed!
INB:
What are your thoughts on the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the character of Jessica?
Nicole:
I was 11 when the movie came out, and I was instantly taken with it! I've always loved animation (my degree is actually in traditional animation), so the idea of toons being a part of our world was incredible! I'm also a mystery fan (Clue is one of my favorite movies), so the Noir/old Hollywood mystery plot appealed to me, as well. Not to mention the humor and one-liners. It's really as if they took all the aspects of storytelling that I love, and put them in a single movie for me.
As for Jessica, I love how much she loves Roger! She's willing to get right down in there in the mess when her honey-bunny gets into trouble. Their marriage reminds me a lot of my own- although not in our appearances, obviously! But I love her look, as well- her design makes for some very visually stunning pins, art, and figures.
INB:What was your first Jessica Rabbit pin?
Nicole:
I know I feel like I should remember this, but I don't, unfortunately! I can tell you that this one was a very early one for me, and it has an interesting story behind it. We were having a pin swap that night at the WDW PTN. You go up to the table, give the cast member a limited edition pin, and then pick a number...the cast member gives you the pin behind that number, which came from another trader who had played the game before you. At the time, this was one of my most wanted pins...for me to pull it out of all the pins available was pretty remarkable!
INB:
Are their any other characters you like to collect?
Nicole:
Sure! My main collections, besides Jessica, are Tinker Bell, Duffy, Tower of Terror, and Princesses. I dabble in Chip and Dale, and anything else that catches my eye.
INB:
Why do you think pin collecting became so popular?
Nicole:
I wonder about this occasionally, too. I think most people who collect have a compulsion to do so, no matter what the specific item is. I've collected comics, trading cards, anime goods, just to name a few. I know other traders who have multiple hobbies, as well. So some of it is in the nature of the collecting beast itself.
But why Disney specifically...childhood nostalgia, relatable characters and stories, good character design and art. Pins in particular are nice because they're mini pieces of portable art, easy to carry, display, and trade. Mystery packs were a smart move on their part, too- I've always liked opening mystery packs, no matter if it's cards, figures, or pins.
I'm sure the fact that most pins maintain their value (some of them even skyrocketing in value) helps the popularity and collectibility, as well. That's more than you can say for comics and cards, as far as the secondary markets go.
INB:
How long did it take you to complete your Jessica collection and narrow the gap so that you only needed current pins?
Nicole:
Hmmm. I made the decision to go after all of them after the 2007 Pin Event, so probably sometime in the Fall of 2007. And I got the last pin in February of 2012. So it took about 5 years to chase down all the hard ones while flushing out the bulk of the collection.
INB:
Do you have the count of how many Jessica pins have been released?
Nicole:
A rough estimate, yes. As of the 25th anniversary, there are about 643 pins featuring Jessica Rabbit on them. The number's a little off, but I'd say it's only off by 10 or so.
INB:Which Jessica pins in your collection were the hardest to get?
Nicole:
As expected, a lot of the popular Disney Auctions LE 100s were tough- sometimes harder than the LE 50s (LE stands for Limited Edition, to those who may not know). These were the ones I had to wait a very long time for them to even show up. I never thought I would actually get this [Jessica Movie Star Jumbo] pin. Because it had been "lost"- there was a batch of Disney Auctions pins that were advertised but then never released. We all suspected they got misplaced in the warehouse. But one random day years later, Disneyshopping.com put them all up, and they sold out quickly. I missed out of them on the web site, but got on eBay immediately and snatched one up. So while not actually hard to get in the end, it was the one I suspected would keep me from finishing my complete collection.
INB:
Which Jessica Rabbit pins stand out as your favorites / why?
Nicole:
What an evil question to ask! Fortunately, I have been asked this before, so I have it narrowed down already. I might have to cheat a little and use some full sets instead of individual pins, but my favorites are: The Hollywood Sets- it just goes with the whole theme of WFRR so nicely! The "Around the World" Set- Besides being a great concept, the execution was pretty much flawless. It has great art, and they're nice and big. The "Jessica As..." Series- I think most everyone will agree that they're fan favorites. The art was perfect on the first two waves, and it's a great series for having both Jessica and some classic Disney characters. The Original Disney Auctions 6-Pin Set- Some of the pins from this set sparked my interest in her older, retired pins, which led to my goal of having all her pins. Some of the pins in this set might actually be my favorites. Pin Pals- It's a cute two-pin set with Roger and Jessica, and the poses and art are pretty dead on!
For Individual, Non-Set pins, my favorites are: All Dressed Up- A beautiful LE 500, and one of my first memorable Jessica pins. I love the up-do! Gridiron- As a casual NFL fan, I love this pin! It has some great art, too! The Winter Pin (a.k.a. the Fur Coat pin)- It's so cute! I love Roger's blissed out expression, and the way she just lifts him right up! Jessica at the Beach #5- I love how she's sitting in the circular frame of the pin, and the whole retro feel of it! DCA- Jessica with Surfboard- AMAZING art! It's a wonder that it was an open edition, off-the-rack pin when it came out! Baddest Draw in the West - Jessica- I enjoy Wild West themes, and the Wanted Poster design is very cute! I also love all the ds.com lanyard sets, especially the original one- it has kisses on the lanyard, and a wonderful medallion with her fluffing her hair.
You'll notice most of the pins on my favorites list are Disney Auctions or Disneyshopping.com. It's not that I don't like some of the newer pins...several of them almost the list. But at the end of the day, it's just hard to compete with the size, creativity, and quality of those earlier pins. But they still make wonderful pins, like the new Armed Forces Jessica pin from WDI.
INB:Are their any Jessica pin designs you are not too fond of?
Nicole:
Actually, there are quite a few pins that I think are lacking... sometimes due to general design, and sometimes due to execution. This question is a tough one for me, because there's several levels of "I don't like this pin!". There's "this pin is ugly as sin". There's "why would you think this concept would make a good pin?". And, of course, the "meh" pins...average concept, average art...nothing to write home about. Like this one (above) is way too busy, and the art isn't impressive either:
And as much as I absolutely love the majority of Jessica pins, there are plenty of pins in all those category to pick from! But the answer the question, I just decided to go with the pins I flinch the most at when I look at them. Hated them the first time I saw them, hate them now!
Almost every pin from before official pin trading (the vintage 80s pins), they're so, so ugly...
This Paris pin would be cute, if it weren't for Jessica's chipmunk cheeks (Valentine's Day Jessica from Disneyland Paris):
This set is a great concept with poor execution. The table pin...yikes! (Jessica Rabbit Bathing Suit Card Set from DisneyShopping.com)
Her face...ouch. (Ribbon Flag Series Jessica from DisneyShopping.com)
There is NOTHING good about this pin- concept fail, coloring fail, face fail, anatomy fail...just horrible. (Snowman Series Jessica from DisneyStore.com)
No. Just...no. (Fantasy Flowers Series Jessica from DisneyShopping.com)
INB:
With all the talk of Merida's makeover - do you think Disney ever went too far with a Jessica pin design - despite the fact she is already a sexy character?
Nicole:
Not at all! Like you said, she's designed to be a sexy character. When talking about misogynistic or sexist tendencies in our films and media, I think what was done to Merida was much more problematic. But even putting that issue aside, I've never felt scandalized by any of the Jessica pins. And the few that may have pushed the borders were the ones available online, so they weren't "on the rack" (pun intended). However, I might be a little more laid back than some regarding this issue... I was once told by a cast member that the reason they don't have more Jessica Rabbit pins and merchandise in the Parks is because mothers would complain about her being out where the kids could see her. I don't know how true that is (take anything reported from a cast member with a grain of salt), but it's an interesting thing to ponder.
INB:Jessica Rabbit became a very popular pin character - why do you think that is? / Why are her pins favored more than other merchandise of her?
Nicole:
I'm not sure that they're favored a whole lot more than other merchandise...I've seen other retired pieces elevate in price, as well (such as the old Mattel doll, or some of the retired bowling shirts). I think it's just that there are far more pins out there over other types of merchandise. But speaking to her popularity among pin traders, I think it's a mix of several factors. There are the core fans, people who love her character and the movie. Then we have the "she's sexy" crowd, as well as people who might just like the pin itself. I'm not sure why Disney Auctions decided to make her such a benchmark character when they launched, but I think those pins, as well as the secondary market value they wrought, still effect the drive to get her pins today. There's always the people who collect for value, as well.
INB:
Do you think in the heyday of the Jessica pin releases Disney should have had a Jessica Rabbit Event?
Nicole:
I'm not sure any single character could carry an event (perhaps all the princesses together as a theme could), but at the very least, a Jessica specific Pin Trading Night would have been nice! I'd like to see Disney do this as a practice, actually...a different theme for each PTN.
INB:
Were their any "Jessica Dressed As" Halloween pins you wish they made?
Nicole:
Ohhhh, yes! I was waiting desperately for a "Jessica as Princesses" line, with Leg Avenue-style adaptations of the princess costumes (Leg Avenue makes a lot of those sexy Halloween costumes...an overused trope, perhaps, but perfect for Jessica in this case)! I also still hold out hope for a Jessica Designer pin, as well as a "Jessica as Marvel Heroes" set when the rights allow it- Phoenix/Jean Grey, Spider-Woman, Black Widow, Black Cat, Rogue...it would be a great set!
INB:
What is the "word on the street" from collectors about Jessica Rabbit and collecting her pins? (Are a lot more people aware of her, collecting her, etc.)
Nicole:
I've think we've reached a comfortable cruising altitude- the number of collectors seems to keep steady. Just as someone leaves the hobby, someone new steps up and takes an interest in collecting her. Regarding new releases, we had a bit of a dry spell there in 2010, but the Disney Soda Fountain store and WDI stepped up, and we're getting a new pin at least once a month. Even Paris chips in with an occasional event pin, although I understand she's not nearly as popular in Europe. With the death of DS.com's pin releases, the real problem is going to be in the new people acquiring enough LE 250/300 pins to be able to successfully trade for the constant stream of Jessica pins that come from California. Unfortunately, it's already starting to impact the trading community, having such an unbalanced source.
INB:
What have you heard, if anything, from Castmembers of their thoughts on the Jessica character and her pins.
Nicole:
To be honest, I don't think I've ever talked with any about her, except for the one who told me the story about the mothers getting offended, and an occasional cast member complimenting me on my shirts and telling me they love her.
INB:
It's obvious Jessica pins, and pin production in general, slowed down - do you think there will be a resurgence of pins like the 2006-2007 time period - or is it time for a new collectible item to take pins place?
Nicole:
It's tough to say...every time it seems ready to die, a new wave of collectors come in and breathe new life into it. I don't think it will ever go away, completely. But whether or not the events and pin trading nights and such go away, who knows? I'd say it has at least another decade left in it.
As it is, I don't see another collectible primed to take over. Vinyls do okay, but I don't see them lasting as long as pins, really. Maybe if Disney moved to nicer, anime-type figures (in quality, not style) instead of the current style. Vinyl figures are a nice, big business in Japan.
INB:Is there anything else you collect - Jessica items or other items?
Nicole:
Yes! Perhaps too much...our house is running out of storage and display space! For non-Disney, I collect things from TV shows and movies I love, some comics, anime, and manga. I used to do a lot of cards, too...mostly comic cards and collectible card games. For Disney, I collect Tinker Bell, Duffy (my Duffy collection is pretty large)...anything else that catches my attention. I have a little bit of everything...shirts, glasses, snow globes, figures. I have better luck finding Jessica stuff in Japan than I do in the States. When I went over in 2010, we went to a store in Shibuya that deals with collectibles, however, finding any specific collectible in Japan was like finding the cliche needle in the haystack, so my hopes weren't too high. I wandered down the rows, and my eyes immediately zoomed in on a box. I saw the familiar "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" logo. I was whispering "please be Jessica, please be Jessica"...I picked it up, and YES! It was Jessica! And it was in great condition, too! I glanced at the price tag, and my eyes almost fell out of my head. It was 2100 yen (which is around $20) What a deal! I floated on a high for the rest of the day, and still feel that rush to this day when I talk about it! But that's not where my Jessica luck in Japan ends! In 2012, our next trip, I was in Nakano, wandering through a similar type store, when I found the Jessica Mattel doll, new-in-box, in great shape! It wasn't as good as deal (around $60), but it was still amazing that I found her in Japan at all!
Special thanks to Nicole for sharing stories, info and photos of her entire collection with us. If you would like to see Nicole's collection you can find her on PinPics.com and browse through all the Jessica Rabbit pins individually.
